Kyiv: Reconstruction of Ukraine Requires $750 Billion

On Monday, Ukraine's Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said his country needs $750 billion for a reconstruction plan in the wake of the Russian war.

Speaking at the Ukraine Recovery Conference in Lugano, Switzerland, Shmyhal stated that there is direct damage worth more than $100 billion to the Ukrainian infrastructure as a result of the Russian war, according to Sky News channel.

The Ukrainian prime minister added that the recovery plan should be in 3 stages, explaining that the first stage will focus on repairing things that are important to the daily life of the Ukrainian people such as water supply.

He noted that the Ukrainian government believes the assets confiscated from the Russian oligarchs should be a primary source of financing for the recovery plan.

In the same vein, spokesperson for the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry Oleg Nikolenko invited Pope Francis to visit the country, urging him to continue praying for the Ukrainian people.

"The time has come to deepen ties with those who sincerely wish to do so, and we renew the invitation to Pope Francis to visit our country," the spokesperson said, commenting on Pope Francis' statements, according to the France 24 channel on Monday.

During broadcast statements earlier, the Pople had expressed his hope that he would be able to visit the two capitals, Moscow and Kyiv after a visit to Canada, as part of efforts to end the war in Ukraine.